Cheese Dreams

I have no illusions that I am truly a gardener. But I did get two tomatoes from the County Line vines. That's two more than I've gotten for several years, so I guess it's a small step of success.

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed one tomato turning from green to red. But when I went to pick it, it was rotten on the bottom. What a disappointment!

These harvested tomatoes aren't without blemishes. One had to be turned away from the lens in a photograph so you don't see the hole caused by some munching creature.

But my early harvest was enough to recreate a childhood favorite: Cheese Dreams.

Do any of you remember Betty Crocker's Cookbook for Boys and Girls?


I used several recipes from the cookbook, but one of my favorite summer treats was Cheese Dreams. This is how it was pictured in the cookbook.

As an adult, I've modified the recipe a bit. But I still love the taste of homegrown tomatoes in an open-faced sandwich.

The original recipe was:

Cheese Dreams

3 English muffins
Soft butter
6 slices bacon
6 thick tomato slices
3 slices processed American cheese

Cut English muffins into halves. Spread cut sides with butter. Cut bacon into halves. Set oven control at broil or 550 degrees.

Place muffin halves and bacon slices on rack in broiler pan. Broil with tops of muffins 3 inches from heat until bacon is light brown, about 2 minutes. Remove muffins and turn bacon over. Broil bacon 1 minute longer.

Divide each slice of cheese into four thin strips.

Top each muffin with 1 thick tomato slice and 2 pieces bacon. Crisscross two thin slices of cheese on the top of each sandwich. Return muffins to broiler. Broil about 1 minute or until cheese is melted. Serve at once. Serves 6.

***

These days, I use a slice of Healthy Choice 7-grain bread. I lightly toast it in the toaster, and I skip the butter.

I then slice tomatoes and cover the surface of the bread. Sprinkle with salt. Shake on just a little bit of jarred, prepared, crumbled bacon (real bacon, not bacon bits, and only 25 calories per tablespoon) and sprinkle with a little shredded cheese. Then broil until the cheese is a little bubbly.

If you want to use bacon slices, I would use the microwave.

It's really a fairly light, nutritious supper. And, it's oh-so-good with garden fresh tomatoes (even a tomato with a hole in it!)

Enjoy!